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Date of Stay: July 2017 Rating:
Wee Waa is a great country town to visit, with good services, and great inexpensive meals at the Empire Hotel - real pub food. The town has two caravan parks, but this is not the one to stay at. Primitive amenities, some of them with doors, very few with locks, none of which work. Lights go on at 7pm and off at 7am; if it's a dull afternoon, things get very gloomy in the dunny. Bright point is a happy hour around a fire in the camp kitchen every afternoon around 4.30pm.
Small park with maintenance issues, drive ins available, but other sites are tight, a real test of husband/wife forbearance. The other caravan park in town, Midland, looks more spacious, though no idea what the amenities are like.
Date of Stay: June 2017 Rating: 2
Town not worth visiting. Old, tired, nothing to do, nothing much to see. Feel sorry for any kids brought up here. $140 week. The only thing to do here is talk, visit another town or drink with the other caravaners at the fire of an evening. Usual wannabe Grey Nomad talk. Unable get Internet - getting "Limited" - But OK later in day, obviously congested. Internet OK.
Showers really suck. Water is either scalding hot or freezing. Womens apparently doesn't have this problem. Amenities cleaned half-heartedly. The "roast" offered twice a week turns out to be a camp oven stew. Not bad, but not a roast. Never saw a free coffee at the 2828 information office, nor mentioned when we booked into park. A knitting and crochet workshop at the park was not mentioned, though Del would have liked to participate. Lack of information owing to park managers being away for a few days when we booked in, and lack of interest in the couple providing relief. Only plus here is the evening fire, an opportunity to talk to other caravanners. Otherwise Gulargambone is a waste of time. Hardly worth the effort learning how to pronounce it!
Date of Stay: June 2017 Rating: 5
Kui Parks are building a reputation for a franchise that offers grey nomads the sort of park and prices that they could easily get used to. Double D at Peak Hill is what you would wish all caravan parks to be - ultra friendly reception (which doesn't end when you've paid for your site), drive through sites, pancakes for breakfast, Happy Hour, Pizza night, car windscreens cleaned, Kui park discount or 7 for 6 if staying longer at $156/week. Kevin and Deb have recently taken over a rather run-down park and elevated it to a must-go destination. Miniature rescue horses and chooks in the back of a smallish but well laid out park. Doggie spa bath, Pizza Saturday nights, pancake breakfast every morning, Happy Hour with nibbles around a fire Friday night, all free, but (after many suggestions from guests) the park has recently started a gold coin donation box, proceeds going to the local cancer care. Amenities are ultra clean, and the showers spacious and modern; Kev and Deb even provide floor mats for use in the drying area.
We normally stop in Dubbo when hitting this area, but recent increases in site fees in larger towns made us look elsewhere, and we're glad we did. (And besides, our favorite shaslick shop in Dubbo has closed down!) Peak Hill is a friendly town, and local traders seem to be becoming motivated by Kev and Deb's enthusiasm, the butcher for instance changing his mind about closing down and offering a great range of affordable meats. Easy distance to towns of Parkes and Forbes in the south and Dubbo to the north, all around 45 minutes away.
The only drawback is they don't allow husbands to stay after the wife has driven the van away. "You brought him, he goes back with you!"
Date of Stay: March 2011 Rating: 1
Manager's name is Tony Pannacchione. This is arguably Australia's newest and dirtiest caravan park. Despite extensive work going ahead for future expansion of the park, they are letting themselves down with their attitude to amenities cleaning - this is done once a week (or more often once a fortnight), and then only after us having had to go up to the reception and make yet another complaint. The attitude seems to be you lot made it dirty, live with it. This is the only park in 8 years of travel that we have felt compelled to lodge a complaint with the health department of the local council about. It really is that bad. And sadly, apart from that, this is a brilliant facility for a caravan park. Golden Ponds is a local icon - with stocked fishing ponds, restaurant, conference facilities, a popular venue for wedding and anniversary receptions - and is letting itself down badly.
Date of Stay: October 2010 Rating: 2
Amenities: Bad. Soap holder, fittings, broken. Seats missing in several showers. Taps leaking. Learn to live with the windblown leaves, they'll be there tomorrow. Cleaning iffy. Long dead corpses of flying insects plastered to walls. Drying area in showers impossible to keep dry. Where a seat exists only two small pegs for clothes/towels. Handily a broken gate hinge on door was useful for hanging thongs on. Paint peeling, rust marks on nailed areas on walls. Laundry basic, but OK. Miners are supposed to use dedicated machines, but don't always. Be prepared for oily washers. Average staff friendliness. Poor value for money ($145.80 2A per week, powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes or 5th wheelers, some sites are shaded, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5). Quiet, open and roomy, plenty of shade. No playground. Suitable for overnighter.
Disliked:- Another caravan park fitted out with donks for miners. The tourist area suffers from neglect. The place is up for sale, and owners obviously reluctant to put money into upkeep. On the other hand, the tired state of the park suggests upkeep has been neglected for several years.
Local Information:- TV reception - good all channels; Autogas available locally.
Date of Stay: August 2010 Rating:
This is a caravan park to avoid. You'll only come here by accident and then only once. Some nice green open spaces surround the dismal caravan sites area. Mostly populated by permanents in a variety of rigs that would look at home in a shanty town and some interesting souls wandering about usually late in the day when the hangovers have worn off. Management seem to have nailed the fine art of doing the absolute minimum and then putting that off till the bins are overflowing and can't be ignored any more. Amenities are woeful. Don't even think of coming here if you're the least bit oversized; you won't fit in the showers or toilets. On the plus side amenities are kept clean by one of the permanents. There are handtowels and soap provided and the lights work. There is lots of hot water but it will soak the drying area - a 2m x 1m rectangle squashed between the shower curtain and the door. Stayed a week but left earlier.
Date of Stay: September 2009 Rating: 4
Caravan park is in Rodeo grounds. Very friendly staff, no complaints. Very good value for money ($98 2A per week, powered). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, all level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes or 5th wheelers, no sites are shaded, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Basic laundry, late checkout allowed, dump point, van parking, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5). Peaceful, open and roomy, not enough shade, no permanents. No pool, no bbqs, no playground. Suitable for a week or more. Suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Liked:- Enormous area, lots of opportunity for happy hours. Kangaroos show up in the late afternoon, and graze - and sometimes fight - around the caravans. Balloon flights sometimes land in the camping grounds. A great early morning sight.
Disliked:- Small number of amenities for huge number of sites, but seemed adequate when we were there, most larger vans/buses/5ths having own shower/toilet.
Parking:- Find a site and come back to office at 4pm to pay.
Local Information:- TV reception is good on all channels. Autogas available locally. Good Restaurants, Leagues club good for lunch, $7. RSL club lunch $10+. Both provided good meals. Coffee Works is best coffee tour in area. Very friendly reception. We got a 'seniors week' special - 2 for 1 - $17, which also gave us a free re-entry card valid for a month. With the tastings of coffee, liqueurs, and chocolates, came out of there with quite a buzz on. And we could go back every day for a month. Free. Note: Be careful with the free re-entry card. Some have tried to get in on a borrowed card. They now demand photo ID at the gate.
Date of Stay: April 2009 Rating: 3
Manager's name is Dom & Sherriee. Loved the area and the caravan park. Would have stayed longer except for the cleanliness issue, and the fact we needed to wash this week, so regretfully moving on to another town. Hope they lift their game, because otherwise a great place to stay. Average staff friendliness, average staff response to complaints. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($105 2A per week, powered). Inadequate number of amenities, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is reasonable, water pressure is bad, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, all level sites, poor night lighting, large sites, concrete annex slabs, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Poor laundry, no rec room. Peaceful, open and roomy, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Dirty gas bbq (free), dismal bbq area atmosphere. No playground, no pool. Suitable for a week or more, suitable for families, park is considered kid-safe.
Liked:- Kangaroos and possums at night. Saw frogmouth owl, fed a possum some carrots. Great outdoor experience.
Disliked:- Amenities cleaned only every second day. Very rarely checked other times. Owner insists only need to clean every other day. Suggests we could clean toilets and showers ourselves if not happy with them. Washing machine not working properly, doesn't spin-dry. Owner repeatedly told by his wife, but nothing ever done.
Added Touches:- Fire buckets and wood provided.
Local Information:- TV reception - All digital except 10. Analog OK Mobile phone reception - Good. Autogas available locally. Liked town/region. New pizza parlour opened in town. Great pizza, but only open at night, except when day booking made by visiting group. BYO. Bowling club has bottle shop - only liquor outlet in town - but very expensive. Pub offers a great small pizza at lunchtime - lots of cheese.
Road Conditions:- Road between Darlington Point and Leeton has a very bad stretch with potholes and broken verge. Slowly being 'patched' by council.
Date of Stay: January 2009 Rating: 2.5
Manager's name is Mel & Rhonda. Friendly staff, average staff response to complaints, van parking assistance provided by staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, good value for money ($90 2A per week powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, small sites, drive-through sites, poor water quality, adequate taps close by. basic laundry, good rec room, late checkout allowed (up to noon), good camp kitchen, van parking. Quiet, open and roomy, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere. Dogs on leash. Clean UC electric bbq (20c), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Good playground in good condition. No pool. Suitable for a week or more, Suitable for families, park is considered kid-safe.
Liked:- Open fire in camp kitchen.
Local Information:- TV reception - Good all channels digital and analog Mobile phone reception - Good. Autogas available locally. Liked town/region. Victoria Hotel lunch specials from $10. Very good meals. Recently under new management. Fossicking/gold prospecting area. Wineries.
